Debunking Preppers are Crazy

When I tell people that I prepare for a disaster some people think I am nuts and something is wrong with me. However I decided to write a blog post to discuss why preparing in some form or fashion is common sense. I am not saying that every should have a bunker and go full blown out. While I think this is a fantastic idea, I know many will find this too extreme.

What is prepping?

Simply put, prepping means that you live your life today but prepare now for any disaster that may strike tomorrow. Being prepared gives you three distinct advantages in case of emergency:

When news of an impending disaster breaks, most people rush out and clean the shelves of local grocery and hardware stores.

Stores only stock so much and in these situations, they generally don’t have enough to meet the needs of everybody.

If you’re already stocked, you won’t have to worry about whether or not you’ll be able to get what you need to survive.

If disaster strikes quickly and you can’t get out to stores and medical facilities, you’ll already have what you need and know what to do to ensure your survival.

You won’t have to waste what little bit of advance notice that you get fighting other unprepared people for necessary supplies and staples. You can concentrate on last-minute preparations such as battening down the hatches.

Also, you’re not placing additional burdens on a system that will already be taxed to the point of breaking. The main difference between people who prepare in advance for disaster and people who don’t is simply mindset. When people live in comfort and security for most of their lives, they tend to get lax and assume that those luxuries will always be provided for them. They have faith in the system. Preppers assume responsibility for their own safety and welfare and don’t depend on others to do it for them. It’s basic self-reliance. The idea of prepping for extended lay-ins isn’t a new one. As a matter of fact, just a couple of generations ago it was standard practice. Families had a pantry that was stocked with staples and a cellar that was packed with canned goods, dry goods and emergency supplies such as candles. Barns were typically equipped with utilitarian tools and there were often safe spots such as storm cellars that were stocked and prepared in case of tornadoes or other natural disasters. People then weren’t dependent upon the government for survival like many folks are now. Surprisingly enough, it’s not as hard or as expensive as you may think. All it takes is a bit of education, lots of dedication and a minimal amount of money, at least in the beginning. You need to change your mindset and learn how to live without depending on external sources for your well-being. In short, you need to learn how to take care of yourself and prepare your home accordingly. It is not my job to prepare for you, I prepare for those I love, my food stores are not enough to feed the world, just me and my family. You should be responsible and have something for you and your family too. So let me give you the reason why I think prepping is important for the average American.

1. In recent decades, we’ve sacrificed independence for convenience to the point that we can’t even perform daily activities without pre-packaged foods, electricity or running water.

2. Increases in natural catastrophes and terrorist attacks have brought to light the very real possibility that you may experience an incident that forces you to live without the access to modern conveniences and emergency services that you’ve come to depend upon.

3. We just assume that they’ll always be there, but what if they’re not?

4. Recent disasters such as floods, wildfires, and hurricanes such as Katrina, Charlie, Wilma and Sandy caused enough devastation to put people in exactly that situation. We watched as people waited in line for rations of water and food. People fought over fuel and went without showers and even shelter because they weren’t prepared. They were completely dependent upon others for their very survival and the system nearly collapsed under the weight of their need.

5 . If you were to be cut off from civilization and forced to do without utilities for a week, would you have enough food and water to survive? Would you know what to do?

Probably not. That’s why prepping for disasters now is so important. Waiting until the 11th hour just won’t do. You must have at least a basic 30 day supply of food for your family, Even FEMA has a website to guide the beginning in preparing for a disaster before it happens, what you should store in your home. Basic tips and concepts on how to survive without electric, gas, or running water. So maybe preppers are not so nuts after all. Here is the link to the FEMA website on basic preparedness http://www.fema.gov/pdf/library/f&web.pdf .

While there are many reason why someone becomes a prepper. Here is a list of 25 of the most common reasons. Most preppers will have a specific reason why they are prep, the bottom line is they prep for survival of those they love.

Reason #1. Pandemics (Ebola and more).Indeed fear is a motivator (and no one is immune). Swine Flu was tame compared to
the threat of Ebola. Then there are current cases of the Plague, along with West Nile
virus, Avian Bird Flu and Spanish Flu, among countless other pandemic situations.
The fear of pandemics, including Ebola in particular, spurred sales in gas masks and
N95 respirators, , Tyvec Chemical suits and bleach.Reason #2. Fukushima.The problem at the Fukushima has not gone away after the March 11, 2011
earthquake, subsequent tsunami and the resulting Fukushima nuclear power plant
disaster. Worldwide contamination of our food supply as a result of Fukushima is
something not often talked about. Certainly, preppers have not forgotten
Fukushima! Radioactive elements are being released into the sea and air, recorded
as far away as California, Utah, Oregon and Washington State. Fukushima affects
not only the fish and seaweed products, but the crops on the West Coast supplying
the entire nation. Livestock are affected as well as they eat the grass and cops
affected by the air. Currently, Japan is building an ice wall to limit the contamination
of waters in the Pacific Ocean. Americans living in Alaska, Washington, Oregon,
California, the U.S. Atlantic,, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands are in Tsunami
territory.

Reason #3: The nuclear reactor in your midst.Fukushima may hit closer to home than you may think if you live near a nuclear
reactor. Not sure how close you live to a nuclear facility? CNN has prepared the
answer for you. Just type in your ZIP code to see how close you live to a nuclear power plant.Reason #4: The Great Depression.John D. Rockefeller once said, “Depressions have come and gone. Prosperity has
always returned and will again.” This is true, and remember that depressions will
come again! We are a bit overdue! Indeed, History has a habit of repeating itself.
The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn brought about by the
stock market crash of Oct. 29, 1929. That was bad enough, but the problem of the
dust bowl made the situation worse. The dust bowl caused by drought in the 1930s
displaced the people of Oklahoma, most of whom closed their family farms. It didn’t
just affect farmers in Oklahoma. Farmers of the past were usually safe from a
depression because they could at least feed themselves, but by 1933 many farmers,
like all consumers of the time, were severely into debt and couldn’t afford to harvest
their crops. What caused the Great Depression? What can you do about it? Plenty!Reason #5: Solar flares and EMP.The solar storm of 1859 was a geomagnetic storm first observed by Richard C.
Carrington. His namesake has given rise to the Carrington Effect, a term coined by
Lloyds of London, who delivered the sobering news to the insurance industry that
this kind of an event happens every 150 years or so and the cost would be an
enormous $2.6 Trillion in financial impact on the world. Threat of an EMP is also a
man-made catastrophe as it would take only a nuclear detonation in the
atmosphere to annihilate a regions supply of water, electricity and gas, and thereby
send a country back to the dark ages. Whether a natural disaster or a man made
one, there’s always something you can do. You do not have a “crazy doomsday
philosophy” because you want to prepare for an EMP.Reason #6: Cyber Attack and Terrorism.
Today, Americans are more dependent than ever before on the electronic flow of
information. As a result we are more vulnerable than ever not to individual cyber
crime and as a country to cyber warfare and cyber terrorism. According to the book
Cyber Attack, written by a former hacker, Paul Day, “In times of economic crisis,
cybercrime is a growth industry.” The “digital mafia” seeks monetary gain from you
and it’s easy not to get caught! It’s possible that the next great Depression will be
from a coordinated attack on the stock market, ATMS and banking systems and
electronics to lock ordinary citizens away from their money, and that’s just the initial
stock. A cyber attack threatens our water, electricity and gas. You need a plan! A
good book is Game Plan, pictured at the top right hand of the page, by Kevin D.
Freeman. Game Plan is the first “how to” investment handbook of its type. It will
explain the emerging risks and provide a complete game plan of response for
investors at all levels.

Reason #7. Terrorist Attacks (threats to Homeland Security).The threat of Biochemical war has been looming since Agent Orange (an herbicide
and defoliant used during the Vietnam War from 1961-1971). America has been on
high alert since 9-11, and preppers can take a measure of control. The next attack
could be financial or crippling of our resources for gas or electricity. Since anything is
possible, preppers are ready for what is possible.Reason #8: Cold war.People have forgotten how close we were in the 1950s to a nuclear war. In the
atomic age, it was quite standard to have a fallout shelter. In fact, it was your
patriotic duty to stash supplies and consider building a shelter. Schools routinely
practiced what to do in the event of a strike (not that the old duck and cover would
have had much protection against nuclear annihilation, but at least they had a plan
and encouraged it). If people weren’t considered crazy then, why are they
considered crazy today?

Reason #9: Power outages.In Winter, power outages are fairly common, but even a high gust of wind can knock
out the power. Preppers will have enough heat, light, food and water even in
ordinary power outages. Food safety is another concern as a result of power
outages.

Reason #10. The Big One is coming: (earthquakes)!Seismic zones are everywhere however, in the West Coast we often think of the
1906 Earthquake and know the “big one” is coming; while preppers who are
“awake” in the Eastern United States think of the 1811-12 New Madrid Earthquake,
which will be coming again soon as well. Want to know more about the New Madrid
Earthquake? Missouri is preparing for the big one!Reason #11: Drought.Water is life and drought is a looming threat, particularly in California.

San Diego, among the most arid parts of the country, at long last is working towards
a resource so close and yet so far away: desalinization of the ocean waters in Carlsbad. It is an expensive and yet necessary expense in face of the looming threat
of drought in California.

Reason #12: Floods.According to FEMA, floods are the #1 disaster in the United States, and everyone
lives in a flood zone. In the past 5 years, all 50 states have experienced floods or
flash floods. Homeowners insurance does not cover flood. It requires a special
insurance.

Reason #13: Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy.“Hurricanes are the most destructive natural weather occurrences on Earth,”
according to hurricane-facts.com. Preppers have learned from the past how
unprepared the masses are for the inevitable, because a hurricane will strike again!

Reason #14. Tornadoes.Tornadoes often develop quickly and without warning. A tornado watch means that
tornadoes are possible, while a tornado warning means that a tornado has been
sighted by weather radar..Reason #15: Inclement weather.Snow storms, thunderstorms (even monsoons in Arizona), inclement weather
happens and there’s no shame in preparing for it.

Reason #16: Landslides.Landslides happen because of heavy rainstorms, but also because of earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, fire and even man’s modification of the terrain. To prevent
landslides, avoid building your homestead near steep slopes or the mountain’s
edge. Your homestead should also steer clear of natural drainage pathways and
areas known to erode. Planting proper ground covering can help minimize the threat.

Reason #17: Fires and Wildfires.Wildfires can ruin your local economy if not your own home! The raging California
Wildfires of the Summer of 2014 is another devastating hit for a state already
inundated with the expense of illegal immigrants amidst concerns of drought.

Reason #18. Death or major illness or injury of a family member.The natural disaster that hits closest to home for a prepper is the death of a family
member or breadwinner. Having adequate life insurance provides only half the
answer. A breadwinner may also be the firearms expert or perhaps the food
preserving expert. When you loose a family member, you also loose prepping skills,
a vital link in your survival chain. Like they say, nothing is more certain than death
and taxes. And someone in your family who suffers from a major illness or injury can
provide a burden on the family finances, which is why it’s so important to plan for
the best of times, even in your darkest hour.

Reason #19. The Amero.Word of the Amero surfaced around 2007. If you haven’t yet heard of the Amero,
now’s the time to delve into the threat of the new currency introduced by the
formation of the North American Union.Reason #20. Monsanto (poisoning of the food supply).Monsanto threatens control of the world’s food supply. As Kissinger said, “He who
controls the food, controls the world.” Preppers avoid soy and corn products most of
all. They also buy and save heirloom seeds for the future.

Reason #21. Unemployment and Job Loss.Stashing away food and provisions is a good way to prepare for a rainy day. Your
preparations will help compensate for the lean times of unemployment.

Reason #22. National debt and hyper inflation.Reason #23. Everyday violence.Things are crazy now as it is: do you want to wait for the grocery stores to be
empty? Does the name Rodney King ring a bell?

Reason #24. Your Great grandparents were preppers.Back in the day, everyone was a prepper. People canned food and set aside
provisions to last the Winter. Victory gardens were patriotic (and even encouraged
by the government to support the war effort). Thankfully the idea of prepping and
survival gardening is making a comeback. Prepping is in your ancestral blood. Your
ancestors weren’t crazy. They were prepared!

Reason #25. The government is prepping.Whether or not you want to believe it, politicians are all on the same side. It doesn’t
matter who is in office.
Enough said!

So there you have it – you’re not a crazy misfit or freak. You’re not an eccentric
screwball, crackpot or geek. You’re not a fruitcake, nut-cake, odd bird, strange bird
or buffoon. We are not the ones that believe in the grocery fairy that keeps the stores
magically stocked in a major disaster. We are realistic, prepared and dance to the beat of our own drum.